lourenco marques: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Low/Very LowHistorical, Formal, Geographic
Quick answer
What does “lourenco marques” mean?
The former name (until 1976) of Maputo, the capital city of Mozambique, located in the southeastern part of the country.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The former name (until 1976) of Maputo, the capital city of Mozambique, located in the southeastern part of the country.
The term refers historically to the Portuguese colonial era of the city, its port, and the surrounding administrative district. It is now used primarily in historical, colonial, and geographical contexts.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in usage between British and American English. Both use the term in the same historical/geographic contexts.
Connotations
Connotes Portuguese colonialism, 19th-20th century African history, and the pre-independence era of Mozambique.
Frequency
Extremely rare in everyday language. Slightly more likely to appear in British texts due to historical Commonwealth connections with southern Africa.
Grammar
How to Use “lourenco marques” in a Sentence
[be] renamed from Lourenço Marques to Maputo[be] located in/near Lourenço MarquesVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “lourenco marques” in a Sentence
adjective
British English
- the Lourenço Marques era
- a Lourenço Marques postmark
American English
- the Lourenço Marques period
- a Lourenço Marques archive
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Virtually never used in modern business contexts.
Academic
Used in historical, geographical, and post-colonial studies discussing the Portuguese empire in Africa.
Everyday
Extremely rare. Might be used by older generations or history enthusiasts.
Technical
Used on historical maps, in archival documents, and in texts discussing pre-1976 Mozambique.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “lourenco marques”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “lourenco marques”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “lourenco marques”
- Misspelling as 'Lourenco Marquez' or 'Lawrence Marques'.
- Using it to refer to modern Maputo without historical qualification.
- Incorrectly pronouncing 'Marques' as /mɑːrkwɛs/ (like the author Gabriel García Márquez).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is not an English phrase with a translatable meaning. It is a Portuguese proper name given to the city in honour of a 16th-century Portuguese trader and explorer, Luís Marques, and possibly a navigator named Lourenço.
No. Since 1976, shortly after Mozambique's independence from Portugal, the city's official name has been Maputo. Using the old name for the contemporary city is considered outdated and can be politically insensitive.
In English, it is commonly approximated as /ləˌrɛnsuː ˈmɑːkᵻʃ/ in British English and /ləˌrɛnsoʊ ˈmɑrkᵻʃ/ in American English. The original Portuguese pronunciation is different.
It is important for understanding historical texts, maps, and discussions about colonialism in Southern Africa. It provides context for the region's past.
The former name (until 1976) of Maputo, the capital city of Mozambique, located in the southeastern part of the country.
Lourenco marques is usually historical, formal, geographic in register.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “None”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think 'Lawrence' (similar to Lourenço) 'Marks' (similar to Marques) the map – an old name on a historical map of Mozambique.
Conceptual Metaphor
A RELIC OF THE PAST: The name is a container for colonial history.
Practice
Quiz
In which context is the term 'Lourenço Marques' most appropriately used today?